College Football Rankings 2012: Underrated Bowl Matchups Between Ranked Teams

The BCS National Championship and maybe even more so, the Fiesta Bowl, will rightfully get most of the attention in the coming weeks as we prepare for bowl mania.

But even during a year when the majority of the population is underwhelmed with about 33 of the 35 bowl games, there are still a slew of underrated matchups that pit top-ranked teams against each other.

So buck up, people. It could be worse. Georgia Tech could be in the Orange Bowl.

Note: A complete look at the top 25 can be found at the bottom of this page

Cotton Bowl: No. 9 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Oklahoma

The Aggies just can't get away from the Big 12.

In their first season as a part of the SEC, Texas A&M shocked the world and rolled to a 10-win season and top-10 ranking. Their reward? An unexpected date with old conference rival, Oklahoma.

Moreover, Johnny Manziel vs. Landry Jones is going to be a must-see matchup.

All Manziel did during his freshman season was break total yard marks by Tim Tebow and Cam Newton in a season that will likely end with a Heisman trophy—which would make him the first ever freshman to win the award.

Decent.

On the other side of the field, Landry Jones is quietly third in the Big 12 in passing yards and leads a balanced passing attack that is ranked fifth in the nation in yards per game.

This one has a good chance at showcasing the best quarterback battle of the year.

Chick-fil-A Bowl: No. 8 LSU vs. No. 14 Clemson

Considering how each conference has played out this season, most will write this game off as another likely SEC blowout.

But not so fast.

Clemson is sixth in the nation in scoring (42.3 points per game) and ninth in total offense (518.3 yards per game). Tajh Boyd wasn't named as a Heisman finalist, but with 3,550 passing yards, 492 rushing yards and 43 total touchdowns, he was certainly a darkhorse to make it to New York.

There's essentially no history here as Texas is used to being in the BCS conversation while Oregon State is used to, well, not that.

Nonetheless, historical aspect aside, this is an intriguing matchup on the field.

The Longhorns have been inconsistent, but they still manage 36.1 points and 441 yards per game. David Ash is solid under center and the duo of Johnathan Grey and Joe Bergeron has been tough to stop on the ground.

The Beavers, meanwhile, were picked by most to finish near the bottom of the Pac-12 and have severely exceeded expectations. They won't just be happy to be here, though.

Look for their underrated offense and stout defense to give Texas a battle in what will be an exciting back-and-forth contest.